One of the most important parts of your skateboard is the grip tape as this is what helps you to stay secure when you are on your skateboard.
When your grip tape gets dirty or covered in mud, this may begin to affect your skating session as you may not be able to perform as well as you usually do due to the reduced grip of your skateboard.
If your grip tape has become dirty, how can you clean it? As the grip tape provides you with a secure grip during your skateboarding, you need to take care of it.
Simply scratching the mud or dirt off your grip tape can damage it further, so you need to clean the grip tape properly to ensure that it remains in its best condition and super clean!
Here are some tips for learning how to clean skateboard grip tape using household items so that you can easily clean your grip tape at home before or after a skateboarding session. Here are the best ways to clean your skateboard grip tape without damaging any part of your board!
Why Clean Your Grip Tape?
Before learning how to clean skateboard grip tape, let’s understand the need for cleaning your grip tape. Grip tape is very important during skateboarding as it helps you to increase your stability on your board and reduces your risk of injury as you are less likely to fall off your board if you have good-quality grip tape on your skateboard.
Your grip tape can easily become clogged with mud which can impact your overall performance when skateboarding, so it is important to make sure that your grip tape is clean and safe to use.
Although it isn’t expensive to replace your grip tape, you don’t want to constantly be wasting grip tape that can be as good as new once it has been cleaned.
This will save you a lot of time as you can quickly clean your grip tape instead of having to find a replacement grip tape every time your board becomes dirty.
How Can I Clean Grip Tape At Home?
Now, let’s look at how to clean skateboard grip tape at home. You can use a variety of household items for cleaning your grip tape so that you can easily clean your board before and after use to keep it clean and protected. Here are a few easy ways to clean your grip tape at home.
Plastic Or Wire Brush
You can get plastic or wire brushes from any convenience store and they are often used for polishing shoes.
This is a very easy method to clean your grip tape as you probably already have these brushes at home, but make sure they aren’t covered in polish before you use them on your board!
Firstly, pour some water onto your board. This will help to soften the mud so that it is easier to clean. Move the plastic or wire brush in small circular motions across the surface of the grip tape so that all of the dirt comes up.
Use a towel or clean cloth to clean the remainder of the dirt off the board so that your board will look brand new!
Toothbrush
A toothbrush is an item that we all have in our houses, and it is more than likely that you have a spare that can be used to clean your board. Make sure that you are using a clean brush, and don’t mix it up with your own!
Pour some water onto a small section of your grip tape. Using the toothbrush, make small circular brushing movements to help pick up the dirt that is ingrained into the grip tape.
Move along the grip tape by pouring small amounts of water onto each small section before you start brushing. Use a clean cloth to clean the remainder of the dirt that is left on the board.
Belt Sander Cleaner
If you don’t want to use water on your grip tape, the belt sander cleaner will help to remove the dirt from your grip tape without wetting the board. You can find belt sand cleaners at any hardware store or by searching online for the correct one to use.
You simply move the belt sander cleaner back and forth across the top of the grip tape to remove the dirt from the surface.
However, the dirt that is deeper into the grip tape may be more difficult to remove using just the belt sander cleaner. It will clean your board but is not as efficient compared to the other cleaning methods.
How To Protect Your Grip Tape From Dirt
There are a couple of precautions you can take to prevent your grip tape from becoming dirty. If you struggle to keep your board clean when you are out, just remember to clean it when you have the chance.
Don’t Get Your Board Wet Outside
When your board becomes wet outside from rain, puddles, or wet shoes, it is easier for dirt to stick to your grip tape.
It can be difficult to protect your grip tape from getting wet, especially if it is raining, but this is the main cause of dirt becoming stuck to your board.
Avoid Skating In Dusty Areas
Skating in dusty areas will cause dirt to become ingrained in your grip tape. When you stand on your board, you will be pushing the dirt into the grip tape which may affect the quality of your grip tape.
This can easily be cleaned, but it is good to avoid these areas if you want to keep your board clean.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, cleaning your grip tape is important if you want to perform to the best of your ability. By cleaning your grip tape, you are making sure that your board is in the best condition and that the dirt won’t be compromising the quality of your grip tape.
Although your grip tape can be replaced, it is easy to clean your board at home with the household items mentioned above. This is an incredibly simple and easy way to make sure that your board is safe and taken care of.
There you go! A complete guide on how to clean skateboard grip tape!
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